Scale.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

ROBERT MGFARLANE, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MCFARLANE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SCALE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

Application filed April 29, 1910. Serial N 0. 558,483.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT MOFARLANE, ofMinneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Scales, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to weighing scales and particularly to that typeused for weighing merchandise in a freight warehouse or freight cars ontrack. Usually beam scales are employed for this purpose andconsiderable time is required to balance the beam and as the workmen arealways in a hurry, the freight and sometimes the cars are moved off thescale before a true balance is obtained, resulting in over or underweight in the freight bills.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment for a beam scaleby means of which the person making a memorandum of the weight candetermine at a glance the weight of the article on the scale platform.

A further object of my invention is to provide an attachment for a scalewhich will al low the use of the main scale beam at any time forweighing purposes and will permit the result obtained by the weighingattachment to be checked or verified by the balancing of the main beam.

1%. further object is to provide a weighing attachment which can beeasily applied to an ordinary platform scale without alteration in thescale itself.

My invention consists generally in internosin a su mlementari wei 'hindevice bee; l a a:

tween the scale beam and its load;

Further the invention consists in various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a front elevation of a weighing scale with my invention appliedthereto, Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view, showing a modifiedconstruction adapted particularly for track scales.

In the drawing, 2 represents the upper portion of a scale which may beof the platform or other suitable type. The lower portion of the scaleis omitted from the drawing as it forms no part of my present invention.

and at are standards supported on the part 2, and 5 is a scale-beam, ofany preferred construction, pivot-ed at 6 in the usual way on thestandards 4.

7 is the usual sliding poise.

8 is a rod lea ding to the levers of the scale platform (not shown), andwhich is usually attached to the scale beamat 9. To balance the beamwith the load on the platform it is usually necessary to move the poiseback and forth until the beam with the poise thereon balances the load.In weighing merchandisc of Various kinds, particularly in freighthousesand in cars on track, the continual balancing of the scale beam requiresa great deal of time, and frequently the load is removed from theplatform before the beam is accurately balanced, thereby resulting inthe entry of an erroneous weight of the car or merchandise on theway-bill or other record. The time and labor expended in balancing thescale in the usual way, and the inaccurate results frequently obtained,particularly at a rush time, have resulted in showing the need ornecessity of some device by means of which an accurate weightcan beobtained, and such weight determined at a glance without-anymanipulation of the scale beam or its poise. Freight yards andwarehouses are usually equipped with platform scales, of some kind, andin devising an attachment to such a scale it is important that it be ofa nature that can be readily applied to the standard platform scalewithout material alterations therein. lVith these ends in View I providea hanger 10 pivotally supported at 9 on the scale beam and havingbearings 11 for an auxiliary beam or lever 12. This auxiliary beam orlever has a movement independent of the main scale beam. The rod 8 isconnected at 13 to'the short arm of the beam or lever 12,

and I preferably provide a casing llor equivalent device, that inclosesa portion of the auxiliary beam, and is carried by a bracket 15, rigidlysecured to the hanger 10,

and provided with an arm 1.6 supporting a suitable balance weight 17. Aspring 20 is attached to the auxiliary beam or lever and has anadjustable connection 21 with the wall of the casing 14:, and a dash-pot22, of ordinary construction, is preferably mount ed in said casing andhas a plunger pivot ally connected with the auxiliary ieam to insureregular uniform travel thereof This spring 20 is put under tensionduring the weighing operation, the degree of tension being regulated bythe adjustable connection above described and, as shown in Fig. 2, thespring 20 has considerable leverage on the load and I am thus able touse a smaller, lighter spring than could be utilized were the loadapplied directly to the spring, as is usually the case with a springscale having an indicating attachment. The beam 12 is movable in a slot12 in the wall of the casing 14:. The connection between the main beamof the scale and the platform levers is divided and the auxiliaryweighing device is interposed between the sections.

A rack bar 23 is pivotally connected with the beam or lever 12 andengages a pinion 2% on a stud 25 which carries a gear 26 meshing with apinion 27 on a post 28 which supports an indicator hand 29. The stud 25carries a hand 30. A dial 31 is provided for the hand 29 and a dial 32for the hand 30. An anti-friction roller 33 holds the rack bar inengagement with the pinion 2 1 while permitting it to reciprocatevertically.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the weight of the load on thescale platform can be instantly determined by glancing at the dial, and,if desired, the results may be checked or verified by balancing the mainbeam of the scale, the accuracy of which will not in any way be affectedby the interposition of this supplementary weighing device between themain beam of the scale and the connect-ion with the platform levers orthe support for the load to be weighed. It will also be evident from theforegoing that the use of the auxiliary beam or lever 12 adapts thedevice for weighing heavy loads, for which a plat-form scale is sofrequently used.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a slightly modified construction which consistsin providing a graduated extension on the beam or lever 12 projectingthrough the wall 18 in the casing 1 1 and having a poise 19 mounted onsaid extension. This construction is adapted for use on track scaleswhere the dial indicates thousands of pounds and the auxiliary beam orlever hundreds and fractions thereof. For weighing merchandise in awarehouse this adjunct to the auxiliary beam or scale attachment willusually be found unnecessary. Obviously, the connections between theauxiliary beam or lever and the indicator hand can be modified invarious ways to secure the desired travel of the indicator hand. In thedial, as shown, the larger circle of graduations is marked to indicate athousand pounds and a complete revolution of the indicator hand 29 willcause the hand 30 to move to the first graduation on its scale, thesmall hand moving in the opposite direct-ion from the large one. Thisarrangement of the indicator hands is common in scale dials and may beiodified in various ways to obtain the desired result.

In the operation of the scale, the beam weights are adjusted in theusual way to balance the empty platform or support for the load. lVhenthe load is placed on the scale platform, the indicator hands will moveover the graduations on the dial and indicate the weight of themerchandise or of the car on the platform, the beam or lever 12 tiltingon its pivots against the tension of the spring 20, and when theindicator hands stop their travel the operator at a glance can determinethe weight of the load on the platform. If the operator desires, he canmove the poise on the scale beam until the beam balances, the properposition of adjustment of the poise being already indicated by'the handsof the dial. The accuracy of the scale attachment may thus be checkedand the result verified. The beam and the weighing attachment operateindependently of one another and except for purposes of verification themain beam of the scale might be dispensed with, as the weighing could beaccomplished with the spring scale attachment and the weight instantlydetermined. As before stated, however, platform scales are alreadyequipped with the scale beam and the attachment is particularly adaptedfor application to a scale without making any changes in itsconstruction. At the same time, I do not wish to be confined tothe useof this improved spring scale device entirely as an attachment for ascale of any type, asit would prove thoroughly efficient when usedindependently.

While I have used the word platform in the foregoing specification andalso use it in the claims I do not wish to be limited to the use of thisinvention in connection. with what are technically known asplatformscales. The device may be used in connection with any form ofscales and will found particularly advantageous in connection with anyscale where time and labor are required to balance the beam. By the termplatform in the claims I intend to include any device which will supportor carry the load to be weighed.

I do not limit myself to the details of con struction herein shown anddescribed as the same may obviously be varied in many particularswithout departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A scale comprising a scale-beam having apoise and a platform connection, a stop for the beam under load, anauxiliary beam or lever interposed in the platform connection andmovable independently of said scale beam, a spring connection for saidauxiliary beam, and weight indicating means operatively connected withsaid auxiliary beam and constructed to indicate the weight of thearticle or object on the plat form regardless of the position of thepoise on the scale beam.

2. A scale comprising a weighing beam, a sliding poise thereon, a stopfor the beam under load, a hanger suspended from said beam, an auxiliarybeam or lever pivoted on said hanger, a platform connection attached tosaid auxiliary beam at one side of its pivot, means yieldingly resistingrelative movement of said hanger and auxiliary beam, and a weightindicating device operatively connected with said auxiliary beam andadapted to indicate the weight of the article being weighed regardlessof the position of the poise on the beam.

3. The combination with a scale beam having a poise, a platformconnection, and a stop for said beam under load, of a hanger interposedbetween said scale beam and said platform connection, an auxiliaryebeamcarried by said hanger, a spring arranged to resist relative movement ofsaid hanger and auxiliary beam, a graduated dial and an indicator handconnected with said auxiliary beam and arranged to move over said dial,whereby the weight of an article or load on said platform is indicatedon said dial regardless of the position of the poise 011 the scale beamand whereby said indication may be verified by balancing said beam withsaid poise.

4. A scale comprising a weighing beam, a stop for said beam under load,a hanger suspended from said beam, a casing carried by said hanger, adial mounted on said casing, an indicator hand, an auxiliary beam orlever pivoted on said hanger and having a limited swinging movement insaid casing, means yieldingly resisting relative movement of saidauxiliary beam and said hanger, means operatively connecting saidindicator hand with said auxiliary beam, and a platform connection fromsaid auxiliary beam.

A scale comprising a beam, a platform connection therefor, a casinginclosing a portion of said beam, a spring attached at one end tosaid'beam and having an adjustable connection at its other end with saidcasing, a dial carried by said casing and having graduationsrepresenting the weight of the article on the scale plat-form, anindicator hand arranged to move over the graduations of said dial, andmeans operatively connecting said indicator hand with said beam.

(3. A scale comprising a weighing beam and a poise, a hanger suspendedfrom the short arm of said beam, a lever pivotally connected with saidhanger, means attached to said lever for connection with a load support,means yieldingly resisting relative movement of said lever and saidhanger and a weight indicator operatively connected with said lever.

7. A scale comprising a main scale beam, a hanger suspended thereon, acasing carried by said hanger, a dial mounted on said casing, anindicator hand, an auxiliary beam pivoted on said hanger and having alimited swinging movement in said casing, means yieldingly resisting themovement of said auxiliary beam, means operatively connecting saidauxiliary beam with said indicator hand, and a platform connectionattached to said auxiliary beam.

8. A scale comprising a pivoted weighing beam, a stop for said beamunder load, a poise for said beam, a beam-rod, the pivot of saidbeambeing between said beam-rod and said stop, and a weighing deviceincluding members connected respectively with said rod and beam, onemember being pivotally supported by the other member, and a graduateddial and indicator hand connected with said members respectively, saidweighing device operating to indicate the weight load independently ofsaid beam.

9. In a scale, the combination, with a poise controlled weighing beam,and a hanger suspended thereon, of a lever pivoted on said hanger, meansconnecting the short arm of said lever with the load support, a springinterposed between said hanger and the long arm of said lever andresisting relative movement thereof, a dial and indicator hand carriedby said hanger and means operatively connecting the indicator hand withthe long arm of said lever.

10. In a scale, the combination, with a poise controlled weighing beamand a rod for connecting with the load support, 01" a weighing mechanisminterposed between said rod and said beam, said weighing mechanismincluding a graduated scale and pointer operating to indicate the weightload on said support independently of said beam while the subsequentbalancing of said beam checks or verifies the weight in dicated by saidmechanism.

11. In a platform scale, a poise controlled weighing beam graduated toindicate the weight of heavy loads, a rod for connection with theplatform levers, a lever actuated weight indicating mechanism interposedbetween said rod and said beam and including a pointer and dial alsograduated to indicate the weight of heavy loads, said pointer and dialenabling the operator to determine at a glance the weight of the load onsaid platform without adjusting the poise, the subsequent balancing ofsaid beam verifying or checking the weight indicated by said pointer anddial.

12. A scale comprising a pivoted weigh ing beam, a stop for said beamunder load, a poise for said beam, a beam-rod, the pivot of said beambeing between said beam rod and said stop, and a weighing deviceconnected with said rod and beam and including a graduated scale andpointer operating to indicate the weight load independently of saidbeam.

13. In a platform scale, the combination, of a poisecontrolledweighingbeam, a stop for the beam under load, a beam-rod, and a springscale including a relatively movable hanger and lever interposed in saidbeamrod.

1a. In a platform scale, the combination, of a poise-controlled weighingbeam, fixed stops between which the outer end of said weighing beammoves on opposite sides of its balanced or weighing position, a dividedbeam-rod and a spring scale interposed between the portions of thebeam-rod and including a relatively movable hanger and lever.

15. In a platform scale, the combination, of a poise controlled weighingbeam, fixed stops between which the outer end of said weighing beammoves on opposite sides of its balanced or weighing position, a dividedbeam-rod between the beam and the scale levers, and a dial spring scaleinterposed be tween the portions of the beam-rod and including arelatively movable hanger and lever.

16. A scale comprising a pivoted weighing beam, a stop for said beamunder load, a poise, a beam-rod, an auxiliary weighing mechanism,including members connected respectively with said beam-rod and withsaid beam, one member being pivotally sup ported by the other member,and a graduated dial and indicator hand connected with said membersrespectively.

17 A scale comprising a weighing beam, graduated for weighing heavyloads, a stop for said beam under load, a beam-rod, a poise for saidbeam on the opposite side of its pivot from said beam-rod, an auxiliaryweighing mechanism, including a station ary graduated dial, a pointermovable over said dial and a pivoted member connected with said beam androd and with said indicator hand, said auxiliary mechanism indicatingthe load on the scale within the range of said graduated dial, saidscale beam be ing pivoted for subsequent balancing to check or verifythe load indicated by said auxiliary weighing mechanism.

18. A scale comprising a weighing beam, a stop for said beam under load,a poise, a beam-rod, an auxiliary weighing mechanism, including agraduated scale and pointer connected with said rod and beam, said scaleand pointer being adapted to indicate at a glance the weight of the loadon the scale independently of said scale beam,

said scale beambeing pivoted for subsequent balancing to check or verifythe weight indicated by said auxiliary weighing mechanism.

19. A weighing apparatus comprising a scale beam, a poise therefor, astop for said beam under load, a beam-rod for said beam, a graduatedscale, an indicator hand movable over the graduations of said scale,means operatively connecting said hand. with said scale beam and saidbeam-rod, and a counter-poising device for said connecting means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of April1910.

ROBERT h/IoFAItLANE.

Witnesses RICHARD PAUL, J. A. BYRNES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

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